Storm leaves utility companies & customers reeling from outages

Photo by Marie Cusick / witf

State agencies are monitoring road conditions and power outages in the wake of a storm that passed through most of the state last night into today.

The governor has put 685 Pennsylvania National Guard troops on standby in case they're needed to help clean up the snowy, slushy, icy mess left by a storm that's passed through much of the state. But the most urgent task falls to Pennsylvania power companies trying to restore service to tens of thousands of customers.

Gov. Corbett said in a press briefing at the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency Wednesday that during a storm like this, a number of state agencies go into crisis mode, monitoring power outages and roadways.

"DCNR (Department of Conservation and Natural Resources) and the Game Commission are providing chainsaw crews in southeastern Pennsylvania to help remove timber that's down on lines or down on roads so we can get there," Corbett said.

Glenn Cannon, director of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, said he can't ballpark when power will be restored to hundreds of thousands of customers. Crews are still having trouble reaching downed power lines due to poor road conditions.

Corbett said PECO, with the most customers without electricity, had put a request to other power companies throughout the eastern U-S asking for help restoring power lines. He said utility crews are trying to restore power first to major facilities, like hospitals. As many as six hospitals statewide are on generator power, he said.